


Birthday Snapshots

by HanaHimus



Category: Persona | Revelations Persona
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Gen, Hospitals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 20:31:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15714558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HanaHimus/pseuds/HanaHimus
Summary: Snapshots of a few of Reiji Kido's birthdays throughout the years





	Birthday Snapshots

**Author's Note:**

> It's not quite Reiji’s bday in muy timeline, but it is in Japan so I'm posting this!!
> 
> Notes....
> 
> Hospital only appears in the first section, so you can skip that if hospitals/the golf club incident bothers you deeply!!
> 
> I have no reason to believe Gatchaman is a thing I'm the Persona universe, but my fic means my rules

Reiji hadn't done much the past few days. He'd really just watched reruns of animes on the room's tiny television and thought on what to do about his father… Not much else he could do while he recovered in the hospital, really. The nurses wouldn’t let him wander, after all.

Besides that, though, the nurses were pretty nice. They'd always ask him about the shows he was watching when they brought him food, always fluff his pillows when they came to check on him… But even for such nice people, today they were being awfully super nice. 

They'd been coming in more often, asking him if he was excited as they ruffled his hair. He'd always stick out his tongue and reply that of course he was excited! He always looked forward to his mother's daily visits, after all. Too bad his reply made the nurses chuckle and shake they'd heads. He didn't get it…

In fact, he didn't get it until his mother walked into the room, a box in her hand. 

“What's that?”

Manami smiled as she sat next to his bed. “It's a cake, silly! For your birthday, I got permission to bring it in.”

Reiji blinked a few times. “My… Birthday?

“Yes, silly! It's August eighteenth!” Manami ran a hand through his hair. “Did you forget?”

“...It's so boring here that I didn't keep track of the days!” He looked away, crossing his arms.

“Oh sweetie…” Manami kissed his bandaged forehead. “I'm sorry Mama can't be here often… But that's why I got you a friend to make the days a little less lonely!”

“A friend…?” Reiji looked around, furrowing his brow. “I don't see anyone else.”

Manami laughed as she reached into her purse. “Oh yeah? Then who's this?” She pulled out an action figure of some sort and…

“Joe!” He gasped as his mother passed the toy to him. “No way…!”

“Someone was selling it for fairly cheap, and I know how much you love Joe… So I couldn't help but but it for your birthday.” She sat back in the chair. “I hope you like it, sweetie.”

“I love it!” He gave her a smile (the first smile he had since he'd been hospitalized). “Thank you, Mama!”

\--

Reiji hadn't really celebrated his birthday since the one he spent in the hospital and, well, that was fine by him. He hadn't had much in the way of friends until this year, so it wasn't a big loss, anyway. No point it trying to start celebrating again. 

“I'm home!” He closed the door and looked around. “Mom?”

“In the living room, Reiji!”

Reiji frowned. That was a bit odd, his mother usually made an effort to meet him in the walkway when she was home. 

He rushed down the hall, frown on his face. “Are you--” He blinked when presented with eight other familiar faces  with his mother. “Why are they all here?”

Sitting in his living room were the people he liked to call friends, all hiding their hands behind their backs. This made no sense, it was like they were hiding presents or something… He'd made sure not to mention his birthday to them, though, right?!

“Oh come on, Kido!” Masao frowned. “That's all you have to say when we came to celebrate your birthday?”

“How do you guys even know it's my birthday?!”

“I told Toudou-kun yesterday and he told the others…” Manami put a hand on her cheek and frowned. “Should I have not done that…?”

“That's… I… Just…” Reiji rubbed the back of his neck. “It's fine, mom.”

Eriko smiled at that as she approached Reiji. “Wonderful! I'd feel bad if you ended up not wanting the presents…”

“You…” Reiji frowned. “You guys didn't seriously get me presents, did you?”

“Well, it was a bit last minute, but…” Eriko pulled flowers from behind her back. “We all found you something, happy birthday!”

Reiji blinked a few times before slowly taking the flowers from her. “I, uh… Thanks?”

“I wanted to try and do a trick like yours… But I sadly couldn't figure it out.” Eriko deflated a bit. “I thought an entire bouquet may make up for it.”

“Ah, yeah, thanks.” He nodded a bit and Eriko perked up. “I'll go put these in some water--”

“I'll do that!” Manami approached and took the flowers from him. “You wait with your friends, maybe get a few more gifts!”

“Mom--”

“Hey, Kido!” Yuka readied herself and threw something straight at Reiji’s face. “Catch!”

Reiji reached up a hand and, without a problem, caught it. “A… Brush?”

“Yeah! For that rat’s nest you call your hair.” She stuck out her tongue. “You need to brush it.”

Reiji frowned. “...Is it really that bad?”

“Yes.”

Reiji put a hand on his head. He'd never thought it was really that bad… Then again, he really didn't do much hair care…

“Before Kido’s birthday turns into him worrying over his hair…” Yukino cleared her throat and walked over to him. “Here, some gloves. In case you want something that… Doesn't stand out like the American flag.”

Reiji took the gloves with a small hum. They were pure black and brand new, but otherwise completely identical to the ones he usually wore. “Thanks, Mayuzumi.”

Yukino shrugged. “It's nothing, they were on sale.”

Well, that was good to know. Reiji wouldn't feel as bad about not wearing them as often as his current ones, then. 

“On sale, huh? Well, that works.”

“If you're that happy about some present that was on sale, I'm sure  _ my _ present will awe you!” Hidehiko grinned as he pat Reiji’s back. 

He rose an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Mmhmm!” He pulled out a movie, shoving it right into Reiji’s face. “A Gatchaman movie! You like Gatchaman, right?”

Reiji’s eyes lit up just a bit as he put the brush and gloves down. He loved Gatchaman, actually… And he'd kinda forgotten some of his friends knew that. 

“Yeah…” He took it and looked it over. “I do… I'll have to watch this later, thanks…!”

Naoya sighed. “...Is it just me, or did Uesugi beat everyone for best present before half of us even gave ours?”

“Well, I'm sure Kido-kun will still like all the gifts!” Maki smiled. “We just have to give him ours to find out!”

“Sonomura’s right, so…” Masao chucked a rolled up piece of cloth at Reiji. “Catch!”

Reiji set the movie down and barely caught what seemed to be a shirt before it slapped him in the face. Looking at it, though…

“It has some inverted face on it, like that shirt of yours.”

Masao nodded. “Yeah, I thought that shirt was cool, so why not get you one? I just… uh, hope it fits.”

“It should, but…” Reiji tilted his head to the side. “This is a different guy than on your shirt. They come in a lot of faces?”

“Nah, apparently that's the same guy. I guess he's wearing his hair differently, or something?” Masao scratched his cheek. “I dunno, that was the only shirt that looked like it'd fit you.”

“That so…?” Reiji shrugged. “Well, whatever. It works, thanks.”

Reiji set the t-shirt down as Maki approached him, a small picture frame clutched in her hand. She seemed pretty nervous about it, so Reiji did his best to not look as angry as he usually did (curse his resting bitch face).

“Here you go.” She held it out, looking up at him with a nervous smile. “I couldn't paint something bigger because of the short notice, but…”

“A painting, huh?” He took it and looked it over. “It looks really nice, Sonomura. I'll make sure to hang it up somewhere.”

“Really…?” Maki's eyes lit up. “I mean… I'm glad you like it!”

Reiji ruffled her hair without thinking. “Thanks, Sonomura.”

“Mmhmm…!” Maki paused. “Uh, Nanjo-kun, how about you give Kido-kun your present next?”

Kei rose an eyebrow. “I suppose I can…”

“Smart, Maki!” Hidehiko sniggered. “Nanjo’s idea of presents might piss Reiji off or something, after all.”

Kei rolled his eyes and handed Reiji his gift. “Don't be ridiculous, Uesugi.”

Reiji grimaced as he looked over his present. “It's… a tie. I don't really wear ties…”

“It could be useful for you in the future, if not now. You'll have to go into interviews and the workforce eventually, after all.” Kei readjusted his glasses. “I'm thinking ahead.”

“I… see…” Reiji put it and the painting down. “I'll keep it around for that then…”

“...Hey, look! I'm the last one!” Naoya wasted no time moving over, trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere. “Here you go Reiji, maybe this is more something you'd wear.”

It was a choker and, well, Reiji did like chokers (mostly the one he wore usually)... But this? He wasn't sure that spikes were his style…

“Uh, thanks, but…” Reiji looked to Naoya with a raised eyebrow. “Why the spikes?”

“I thought a spiked choker would look cool on you, is all.” Naoya shrugged. “Plus it'd let you spice up your wardrobe a bit if you had more than the chain choker!”

“Alright, I guess…” Reiji made a mental note to wear it when he was hanging out with Naoya, because, well… He might not any other time. 

“You guess?” Naoya frowned. “What's that mean?”

“I, uh… Don't get fashion?”

“What's with that pause?”

“Nothing, nothing! Thanks for the present, Toudou. I'll wear it sometimes.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Let's just do something other than presents, already.”

\--

Reiji was exhausted. Between long work hours and being stopped by phone calls or people on the street every five minutes for a happy birthday, how could be not be? He appreciated the well wishes, sure, but… Damn if it wasn't hard to deal with when he was working. 

Hell, he hadn't even realized his birthday was so widely known nowadays…

But now he could go home, get one more birthday wish from Maki, and put his son to bed. Thank god she'd been able to babysit on such short notice…

“I'm home!” He pulled his shoes off and made his way for the living room. There was Maki, but… “Takashi already in bed?”

“Welcome home, Reiji.” Maki gave him a smile. “And happy birthday. Takashi’s in the kitchen, actually.”

“Thanks…” He let out a yawn as he set down his briefcase. “And why is he in there alone…?”

“Oh, I'm not sure…” Maki gave Reiji a smile. “Maybe you should go see why.”

Reiji rose an eyebrow, but didn't argue. He was too tired and too worried about his young child being alone in the kitchen to push it. 

“Takashi--”

“Happy birthday, Papa!” His son's tiny hands flew up into the air as soon as he saw Reiji, a big smile on his face. “Me and Auntie Maki made you a cake!”

“Did you now?” Reiji gave a small smile as he walked over. “And-- Oh! Gatchaman?”

“Auntie Maki said Auntie Elly said that you love it!” Takashi pointed a chubby finger at who Reiji was pretty sure was Joe. “And we called Uncle Naoya and he said you had a crush on Joe… So I made him the biggest!”

“That so? Thanks Takashi!” He made a mental note to kill Naoya later. 

“You're welcome, Papa!” Takashi jumped at his father, Reiji catching him easily. “Can we eat the cake?”

“Not tonight, buddy. It's your bedtime and Papa’s tired…”

Takashi pouted. “But Papa…”

“Tomorrow, Takashi, I promise. I have it off and we can invite all your Aunties and Uncles to share if we wait!”

“Grandma too?”

“Grandma too.”


End file.
